President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan harshly criticized Western countries for their unwavering support to Israel, which has been accused of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, as he highlighted the necessity of a united stance against Israel's oppression.
Addressing a gathering of the Türkiye Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) in Istanbul, Erdoğan said the U.S. and European countries, which have been supporting and encouraging Israel as it carries out genocidal acts in Gaza, will go down in history as sponsors of murderers of women and children.
"'To be mentioned alongside Netanyahu administration is a disgrace, heavy punishment in itself," he said, as he called his administration "murderous, liar and coward." He noted that Western countries, which have been ignoring the ongoing atrocities "with hearts hardened and consciences leased to Zionists," have become accomplices in Israel's system of oppression.
"The entirety of humanity needs to take unified action against Israel's genocidal policy," the president said.
Erdoğan also said Türkiye is in talks with all parties to ensure unity among its Palestinian brothers, as he said Türkiye stands resilient against threats and is actively working to end Gaza's tragedy and oppression in Palestine with unwavering dedication.
Israel has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas incursion, which claimed about 1,200 lives. The military campaign and siege have also led to mass displacement, destruction and shortages of food.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.
